space junk : NPR

Japan Sends Long Electric Whip Into Orbit, To Tame Space Junk

A rendering in a video by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) shows an electrodynamic tether being deployed to help reduce the amount of space junk in orbit. JAXA hide caption

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JAXA

The Two-Way

Japan Sends Long Electric Whip Into Orbit, To Tame Space Junk

December 9, 2016 • A cable that's as long as six football fields has been launched into orbit — and when it's deployed, it'll test an idea to knock out debris that threatens astronauts and spacecraft.

Stuart Grey/YouTube/Screenshot by NPR

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WATCH: The Stuff We've Left In Space

December 30, 2015 • Scientists keep track of nearly 20,000 pieces of space debris, from the size of an apple to that of a school bus. A visualization from the Royal Institution lets you watch the orbiting trash pile up.

Report: North Korea's Satellite May Be 'Tumbling Out Of Control'

An image, from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), of what's said to be the launch on Wednesday. AFP/Getty Images hide caption

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AFP/Getty Images

The Two-Way

Report: North Korea's Satellite May Be 'Tumbling Out Of Control'

December 13, 2012 • NBC News reports that U.S. officials tracking the object warn it isn't orbiting normally. South Korea's defense ministry says it may be a couple more weeks before it's known for sure if the satellite is circling the planet safely.